PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED TO EVALUATE
HABITAT NEEDS FOR GRIZZLY BEARS

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has extended the time for the public to comment on
habitat criteria for the recovery of the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) population
in the Yellowstone ecosystem until October 30, 1999. Comments should be postmarked by the
closing date and sent to the Services Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator, University
Hall, Room 309, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812 or submitted by electronic mail
to: FW6_grizzly@fws.gov. Please include "Habitat Criteria" in the subject line
of the message.

Included in the document are specific habitat needs in areas impacted by motorized
roads and trails, development on public lands, and livestock grazing on public lands.
Monitoring of the most important grizzly bear foods, nuisance bear control actions,
bear-human conflicts, bear-hunter conflicts and bear livestock conflicts are just some of
the parameters that are included in this document. When completed, the final habitat-based
recovery criteria will be appended to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan.

The overall objective of the grizzly bear recovery program is to assure the long-term
existence of a grizzly population in all areas where a viable population can be sustained
south of Canada. The available habitat for bears is largely determined by human
activities. As grizzly bear recovery efforts continue, habitat criteria will be developed
for each grizzly bear ecosystem to address the food, vegetation, habitat, and human
activities in that specific area.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for
conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the
continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre
National Wildlife Refuge System comprised of more than 500 national wildlife refuges,
thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66
national fish hatcheries, 64 fish and wildlife management assistance offices and 78
ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers
the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally
significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps
foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid
program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and
hunting equipment to state wildlife agencies.